Teen protests pet rental proposal in Massachusetts

Steven Ryan

Thursday

Apr 24, 2008 at 12:01 AMApr 24, 2008 at 11:50 PM

Billed as an alternative to owning a pet for time-stressed professionals, the San Diego-based company FlexPetz allows folks to rent a dog for a day or a weekend. But citing concerns for the well-being of the pets and people alike, a Needham teen wants to make sure the company isn’t unleashed in Massachusetts.

Billed as an alternative to owning a pet for time-stressed professionals, the San Diego-based company FlexPetz allows folks to rent a dog for a day or a weekend. But citing concerns for the well-being of the pets and people alike, a Needham teen wants to make sure the company isn’t unleashed in Massachusetts.

“I’m a really big animal rights activist; I just love animals,” said Jordan Star, 14, of Sunnyside Road. “When I heard about the bill, I thought it would be a great way to help out.”

Star has rallied fellow students in his community service group at Pollard Middle School, which was raising money for animal care, to get involved in supporting the bill, asking them to call or e-mail their representatives. He credits their efforts in getting Harkins to support the bill and said they are still trying to get support from Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, and Rep. Angelo Scaccia, D-Readville.

FlexPetz has locations in Los Angeles, New York and London and plans to soon expand to Boston, Washington, San Francisco and Paris. Folks in Boston are already being encouraged to preregister. Members can spend time with one of the company’s dogs for several hours or a few days. There is about a $280 monthly membership fee, which includes four daylong rentals. Additional rentals cost $45 a day.

“It’s bizarre to treat a companion animal like Zipcar or NetFlix,” said Beth Birnbaum of Newton, a former public relations specialist who has campaigned against FlexPetz. “NetFlix don’t have teeth and don’t bite.”

The Coalition to Prohibit the Renting of Pets is the steering committee campaigning for the bill. The coalition cited opinions from the Animal Control Officers of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the Humane Society, which have noted the stress of constant relocation could adversely affect a dog’s behavior.

“There are many problems with renting dogs, including behavioral issues when an animal is moved from home to home,” said Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy at the MSPCA, who encouraged those who can’t own dogs to volunteer at a shelter instead.

Birnbaum got in touch with Star through a friend of his family, who noted Star’s passion for animal activism. Although he doesn’t own a dog or a cat, Star has always had a soft spot for animals and has been a vegetarian for “three years and one week.” He even convinced his family to try tofu and had a stretch in fifth grade in which he would walk up to people eating meat and tell them it was wrong.

Star has also collected money for the MSPCA and has even purchased toys for dogs at the Animal Rescue League in Dedham.

“I would get a dog in a second, but it’s not up to me,” Star said.

Star’s mother, Donna Star, described her son as “compassionate and very empathetic.” She talked about how Star once helped an injured cat he found down the street and brought it to the Animal Rescue League.

“He wouldn’t do anything else until the cat was where it needed to be,” Donna Star said. “He’s concerned about other people, and animals are just an extension of that.”

Star had a similar gut reaction to Birnbaum when he learned of FlexPetz.

“I completely think it’s wrong,” Star said, noting such a service would be difficult on him, too. “Dogs have feelings like people do. You wouldn’t rent a baby … Personally, I’d get too attached to dogs. If go to a pet store for 20 minutes, I wouldn’t leave.”

On its Web site, www.flexpetz.com, the company said its dogs are usually rescues “wherever possible” and are placed in a permanent home when they become sick or old. But Holmquist said those rescues would usually have the best chance to find a “forever home.”

“The dogs they would take out of a shelter are the ones that’ll be most desirable to a permanent adopter,” Holmquist said.

The company also said the dogs have a primary caretaker and members are screened. A call to the company’s public relations representative was not returned.

Both Star and Birnbaum are wary about the company’s assertions.

“It’s an unregulated business,” Birnbaum said about FlexPetz. “How do they know what they do with the dogs when they’re no longer profitable.”

And Star has one last piece of Bill Belichick-like advice for those who can’t own a pet: It is what it is.